The 49ers are where the Raiders were three years ago – drastically undermanned, in the midst of unrelenting losing, and with Fort Knox-like money under the salary cap. Obviously, the 10-2 Raiders have made the right moves in hiring coach Jack Del Rio, drafting players like Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, and acquiring players like …

Coaching football is similar to constructing a house. You start with a foundation and build on it.
Notwithstanding Stanford’s loss to Oregon on Saturday, it’s been fascinating to watch two Bay Area teams, assembled by the same man, reach for the apex o… …

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has said he considers backup Ricky Jean Francois a fourth starter on the 49ers’ three-man defensive line.
And based on the iffy status of defensive tackle Ray McDonald, it appears as if Fangio’s No. 4 man could be makin… …

Who has it better than the 49ers?
By now, most fans know the answer: Noooobody!
One of coach Jim Harbaugh’s favorite expressions seems appropriate for his team this season. At 7-1, only the unbeaten Packers have it any better.
But not all 53 members of… …

After dropping 30 pounds in the offseason and earning rave reviews during training camp, right guard Chilo Rachal appeared poised to fulfill the expectations the 49ers had when they made him the No. 39 pick in the 2008 draft. …

On a conference call with the Bay Area media Wednesday, Giants quarterback Eli Manning said he wasn’t sure why Niners running back Frank Gore ultimately decided to sign with Miami instead of joining Manning at Ole Miss in 2001.

— Midway through Jim Harbaugh’s first season as head coach, the 49ers have the NFL’s second-best record, own a five-game lead in the NFC West and already have surpassed their win total from last season.
The Niners (7-1) have been so good – and receiv… …

— Giants quarterback Eli Manning was a teammate of 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis for one season at Mississippi.
And Manning good-naturedly expressed disbelief Wednesday that he wasn’t a college teammate of the Niners’ other team captain, running ba… …

In Monday’s Washington Post there was a wonderful picture — if “wonderful” is the appropriate word — of the sack Redskins rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan had on quarterback Alex Smith in the first quarter of the Niners’ 19-11 win. …